David Brown
David Brown Limited is a British engineering company, principally engaged in the manufacture of gears and gearboxes. Their major gear manufacturing plant is in Swan Lane, Lockwood, Huddersfield, adjacent to Lockwood railway station. Previously from the 1930 till the 1970s they were a Major tractor builder. Selling the tractor production line to Tenneco (J.I.Case) during the 1970s recession. Company General History Founded in 1860 as a general manufacturing company, by 1873 David Brown had focused on gear systems. David Brown were one of the greats in tractor production, with a major manufacturing plant at Meltham Mills, Meltham West Yorkshire England. Breaking new ground where others were only to follow later, but being a pioneering company ultimately lead to their downfall. In 1947, the company acquired Aston Martin and in 1948, Lagonda. The investment by David Brown led to the DB series of Aston Martins. The most famous being the DB5 type loaned to the producers of the 'James Bond' series of films, this resulted in a huge amount of publicity & resultant sales rise. Both car companies were sold in 1972 to Company Developments Limited, when Aston Martin was in financial trouble, for a nominal £100. And David Brown was hit by banking fall out from the recession and Rolls Royce (aero engines) getting into trouble. In 1970, the family disposed of its stake to its management who floated the group as a public company in 1973. David Brown was acquired by Tenneco corp. and integrated in to their J.I.Case tractor operating division in October 1978. In 1984 Tenneco acquired the tractor business of the International Harvester Company. By 1988 the Meltham factory shut with production moving to the IH factory at Doncaster. Branding was changed to Case-International, and Lines rationalised (See Case IH article) *(Dates in original article sound a bit late to me)? changed based on other sources as wrong. The company, trading as David Brown Engineering Ltd, head quartered in Huddersfield, is now a leading supplier of heavy transmission systems for industrial, defence and marine applications. Basicaly carring on there original gear and transmission business. Tractor Production History (section requires writing) By the 1970s tractors stated to be offered with cabs as an accessory and by the late 70s had to be supplied with Safety cabs to provide rollover protection, or be fitted with ROPS safety frames. By the 1980s cabs had to be sound reducing as well. The 90 series tractors introduced in 1979 were part DB derived designs and the larger models were from the Case range. Last tractor off the line in March 1988 was a 1594 (s/n 154BJB11528785) DB Tractor Model Range *DB Oliver *Ferguson-Brown - 1936-39 *DB VAK1A *DB Aircraft tug *DB Cropmaster 3PL *25 *25C *25D *30C *30D - 1953-57 *50D - 1953-59 6-cylinder *2D Row crop /toolbar 1956-61 *950 *DB750 1965 *DB770 selectamatic 1965-71 36 hp 3-cylinder *DB775 (up dated 770 for export) *DB780 1967 46 hp 4-cylinder *DB850 *DB850 Implematic 1960 3-cylinder *DB880 Implematic 1961-65 46 hp 4-cylinder *DB880 Selecamatic 1965-71 46 hp *DB885 (up dated 770) *DB900 - 1957 *DB950 - 1958 *DB950 Implematic *DB985 *DB990 Implematic 1961-65 *DB990 Selectamatic 1965-71 55 hp *DB995 *DB996 *DB1190 1979 48 hp (2WD Only) *DB1194 1983 48 hp *DB1200 1967 67 hp (72 hp 1968) *DB1210 *DB1212 *DB1290 1979 58 hp *DB1294 1983 61 hp *DB1390 1979 67 hp *DB1394 1983 72 hp (turbo) *DB1400 *DB1410 Hydra-shift *DB1412 1974 91hp *DB1490 1979 83 hp *DB1494 1983 83 hp *DB1594 1983 95 hp 6-clyinder *DB1690 1979 103 hp 6-cylinder *DB1694 1983 108 hp (turbo) *DB2090 1979 120 hp (2WD only) *DB2290 1979 139 hp (2WD only) *DB2390 1979 171 hp (2WD only) *DB4690 1979 233 hp (4WD Only) *DB4890 198? 273 hp (Scania engine) *DB 3800 Gasoline (US) *DB 4600 Gasoline (US) *Implematic *selectomatic Specials *770 Orchard *1390 Orchard *885 Vine yard * Case Versions *Case 970 Agri-King 101 hp Crawler Tractors *DB Trackmaster 50 1952-53 50 hp 6-cylinder *DB 40TD *DB 40TD Track shovel (by Meiller) possibly 10 only built ? *DB 50TD 1953-65 Preserved Machines *David Browns are a popular model for collectors, with a good selection of them on display at a lot of the shows. There are quite a few of the Aircraft tug versions about that look more like a truck with tarmac tyres, and often twin rear wheels. Collectors Groups *David Brown Owners Club http://www.dbtc.co.uk *David Brown 2D Register, E-mail:horti-man@clayhill05.wanadoo.co.uk See also *Ferguson-Brown - Early joint venture *Oliver - Sold some DB models rebadged. *Case Corporation formerly J.I.Case - Successor to DB *International Harvester - Merged with Case to form Case IH *Case IH- Formed by merger of Case & IH, now part of CNH. *CNH - Parent co of Case IH Division. References Wikipedia article for basic details, filled out from; *Classic Tractor Magazine various articles *Tractor & Machinery Magazine various articles *David Brown Tractors 1965-1988 by Anthony J. Heath, ISBN 1-903016-03-7 External links *Power Transmission Products - David Brown *David Brown history *The David Brown Tractor Club, Spinks Mill, Meltham Category:Companies Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Tractors Category:Tractor manufacturers Category:Agricultural machinery Category:David Brown